Field
The present disclosure relates to new substituted pyrrolopyridine and pyrrolopyrazine compounds and compositions, and their application as pharmaceuticals for the treatment of disease. Methods of modulation of TAK activity in a human or animal subject are also provided for the treatment diseases such as cancer or inflammation.
Description of Related Art
Transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1, also known as MAP3K7) is an intracellular enzyme that sits at the crossroads of several disease pathways. TAK1 is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKKK or MAP3K) class of serine/threonine kinases.
TAK1 in Cancer:
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional secreted polypeptide involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and survival (related to apoptosis) and is implicated in multiple aspects of tumor pathogenesis. TGF-β receptors act through several intracellular signaling cascades that include the canonical SMAD pathway as well as the non-canonical Rho GTPase and TAK1 signaling pathways. TGF-β can directly promote tumor invasiveness and metastasis in addition to induction of angiogenesis and suppression of lymphocyte and macrophage proliferation and differentiation, thereby suppressing immune surveillance of the developing tumor. Reduction of TGF-β activity may therefore be a promising target of therapeutic strategies to control tumor growth.
TAK1, a key downstream effector of TGF-β, has been implicated in transformation and metastasis of cancer cells as well as in the development of resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation. TAK1 is required for TGF-β initiated R-Ras mediated transformation of mammary epithelial cells, a process that is independent of SMAD signaling but requires TAK1 directed activation of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways. It has been shown that TAK1 activation is involved in metastasis and bone destruction by breast carcinoma cells, as well as in the metastasis and lung invasion of colon cancer cells. The TAK1-dependent activation of p38, JNK and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathways was central to promoting these cancer phenotypes. Multiple genotoxic anti-cancer drugs and ionizing radiation have been shown to activate NF-κB and thereby protect cancer cells from DNA damage-induced apoptosis. For example, two anticancer drugs, doxorubicin and etoposide, when tested in multiple cancer cell lines, promoted TAK1-mediated DNA-damage response-pathway that involved the downstream activation of NF-κB, p38 and MK2, conferring chemoresistance and promoting cancer cell survival. The role of TAK1, as a potential mediator of the extreme drug resistance displayed by pancreatic cancer, was studied using an orally, bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of TAK1, LYTAK1. Results demonstrated an increased sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (Melisi, et al. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 103, 1190-1204 (2011)).
TAK1 in Inflammation and Autoimmune Disease:
TAK1 is also a key mediator of pro-inflammatory and stress signals. Cellular activation of TAK1 activity is promoted by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) as well as by the engagement of T cell, B cell and toll-like receptors. TAK1 activation induces the downstream nuclear translocation of NF-κB and activation of the JNK and p38 pathways that are central to driving inflammatory and immune responses as well as T cell and B cell development, activation and survival.
Protein-based (biologics) and small molecule drugs that block TNF-α (ENBREL, HUMIRA, REMICADE, SIMPONI) or IL-1β (KINERET) signaling or that limit T cell (ORENCIA, TYSABRI) or B cell (RITUXAN) function have been used to treat a number of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ankylosing spondylytis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The essential role of TAK1 in modulating TNF-α and IL-1β signaling and T cell and B cell function make it important in autoimmune diseases.
TAK1 plays a pivotal role in JNK-mediated activation of metalloproteinase (MMP) gene expression and joint destruction in inflammatory arthritis. In animal models of autoimmune arthritis, the targeted knockdown of TAK1 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) provides disease-modifying benefit, both prophylactically and therapeutically. At the molecular and cellular levels, TAK1 knockdown severely impairs JNK and NF-κB signaling, down-regulated expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and constrains the expansion of IL-17A producing T cells that contribute to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. The immunosuppressive impact of TAK1 deletion has also been studied in an animal model of contact hypersensitivity (CHS), a classic T cell-mediated immune response. Both dendritic cells (innate immunity) and T cells (adaptive immunity) play critical roles in the onset of CHS. By specifically deleting TAK1 in dendritic cells in a mouse model, it was shown that TAK1 is essential in dendritic cell-mediated T cell activation and the development of CHS (Zhao, et al. (2011) Cell. Mol. Immunol. 8, 315-324).
Compounds useful as tyrosine kinase inhibitors for treatment of proliferative diseases (e.g., cancer) are reported in WO 96/00226 (Published 4 Jan. 1996). Compounds described therein include azoindolylidene substituted with cyanoalkene, alkoxy and amido substituents.
Compounds useful as modulators of CDK for the treatment of cancer are reported in WO 01/98299 (Published 27 Dec. 2001). Compounds described therein include azaindoles substituted with alkene and amino substituents.
Compounds useful as AKT and CDC7 kinase inhibitors for treatment of cancer are reported in EP 2070928 (Published in 17 Jun. 2008). Compounds described therein include 7-azaindol-3-ylacrylamides substituted with amino substituents.
Compounds useful as JAK and SYK kinase inhibitors for treatment of auto-immune and inflammatory diseases are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 7,902,197 (Published in 8 Mar. 2011). Compounds described therein include pyrrolopyrazines substituted with amino substituents.